Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.

Naruhiko Kutsuna

Masayuki Takenaka

Kozo Yamaguchi

Yutaka Hotta

Takeshi Hara

Hiromichi Agata

Takahiro Kido

A drive unit comprises an electric motor, a drive unit casingaccommodating therein the electric motor, an inverterthat controls the electric motor, and a flow passage of a refrigerant that cools the inverter. The inverter defines a space R between it and a heat sinkintegral with a substrate of the inverter, and is mounted to the drive unit casing, the space being communicated to the flow passage of the refrigerant. The heat sink comprises finsthat cross the space R, and abuts against the drive unit casing in a state of low thermal conduction. Thereby, the heat sink is effectively cooled by heat exchange with a cooling refrigerant in wide areas. Also, the fins contact with the drive unit casing in a state of low thermal conduction via a heat insulation material, etc., whereby direct heat conduction is avoided and efficient cooling is enabled while temperature gradient conformed to heat-resistant temperatures of the inverter and the electric motor is maintained.

Drive unit and inverter with cooling technique

A drive unit comprises an electric motor, a drive unit casingaccommodating therein the electric motor, an inverterthat controls the electric motor, and a flow passage of a refrigerant that cools the inverter. The inverter is mounted on a heat sinkand mounted to the drive unit casing with a space R defined, and the space is communicated to the flow passage of the refrigerant. The heat sink comprises fins, and the drive unit casing comprises fins, the both fins being apart from each other. Thereby, both a side of the drive unit casing and a side of the heat sink are effectively cooled by heat exchange with a cooling refrigerant in wide areas. Also, the fins are apart from each other whereby direct heat conduction is avoided and efficient cooling is enabled with temperature gradient conformed to heat-resistant temperatures.

Drive device

A drive unit including an electric motor, a drive unit casing accommodating therein the electric motor, an inverter that controls the electric motor and a flow passage in which a refrigerant passes therein in order to cool the inverter, wherein the inverter is mounted on the drive unit casing such that a heat sink, united with a substrate of the inverter, defines a space that is in communication with the flow passage on a portion thereof opposed to the drive unit casing, the space is compartmented by a separator into a first chamber facing the heat sink and a second chamber facing the drive unit casing and the heat sink comprises heat-sink side fins extending into the first chamber and apart from the separator.

A hybrid drive apparatus formed from an engine, a generator, a differential gear mechanism linking the engine and the generator, an electric motor, and a differential apparatus. The power transmission system on the side of the engine that links the differential apparatus with the output element of the differential gear mechanism and the power transmission system on the side of the electric motor that links the differential apparatus with the electric motor are each formed from separate power transmission elements and are each linked to the differential apparatus at the most downstream point of the power transmission system of each. As a result, it is possible to easily alter the setting of the total gear ratio on the engine side by altering the meshing diameter of the power transmission elements without altering the mutual positions between the axes of the engine, electric motor, and differential apparatus. Moreover, the implementing of measures against noise is simplified because the upstream side of the power transmission system is formed separately.

Hybrid drive apparatus

A drive unit includes an electric motor as a power source, and a simplified coolant circuit for cooling the electric motor. The drive unit further includes, in the drive unit case, a circulation passage L for coolant for cooling the motor M. A circulation passage F for a second coolant is provided separate from the circulation passage L for coolant. A heat exchange portion C within the circulation passage L for the first coolant is provided in the drive unit case for heat exchange with the second coolant in the circulation passage F, and the first coolant for cooling the electric motor is cooled by heat transfer to the second coolant in that heat exchange portion C. Accordingly, the coolant circuit in the drive unit case is simplified.

Drive unit with two coolant circuits for electric motor

A drive unit which uses an electric motor as a power source and has an integrated inverter, with a cooling circuit for the electric motor and the inverter. The drive unit includes a drive unit case, the electric motor housed within the case, and the inverter fixed to the case. A coolant flow passage is provided between the drive unit case and the inverter. The inverter is fixed to the drive unit case through a panel wall, and a partition divides the coolant flow passage into chambers which are coextensive in parallel. As a result, the coolant which flows through the coolant flow passage acts as a two-stage heat shield, barring the heat generated by the electric motor from being transmitted to the inverter.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi-ken, Japan

Naruhiko Kutsuna